Joseph S. Beard, age 87, resident of 22526 Lakeview Drive, Cambridge Springs, PA died Monday, January 7, 2013 at Meadville Medical Center, Meadville, PA. Born in Glen Ridge, NJ on September 29, 1925, Joseph was a son of the late Emerson M. Beard and Viola Schultz Beard.

Beard, Joseph S.Joseph served in the US Navy Amphibious Force, Beach Battalion during World war ll in the Pacific Theater of Operation as a Hospital Corpsman 1st Class. Returning to the United States, Joseph received training for officers by attending the following educational institutes – Princeton University, Bates College, Dartmouth College, and Penn State University. He obtained a commission as an Ensign USNR at the completion of his course. After the war, he received his Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University in 1949 and a Master of Science Degree in Agronomy in 1950. While working on his advanced degree, he was an agronomy lab instructor. After graduation, he worked as a soil scientist for 6 years with the USDA Soil Conservation Service which covered 27 counties in Western Pennsylvania. For almost 20 years, he operated County Line Farms north of Cambridge Springs as a dairy farmer. In 1966, he was hired by Penn State University to work as County Agent for Crawford County. In December 1989, he retired from the extension and worked as a consultant for Brubaker Agronomics Services of Ephrata, PA. He did this for five years serving farmers in Crawford County.

Joseph was a life alumnus of Penn State University, the State and National Association of Agricultural Agents, and Epsilon Sigma Phi. In addition, he was a member of the Erie Sons of the American Revolution; Cambridge Springs Rotary Club; PA Corn Growers Association; PA Forage and Grassland Council; National Dairy Shrine; Crawford County Agriculture Hall of Fame; and Hayfield Grange. He received the distinguished service Award from the National Association of County Agents. He was a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Drakes Mills. He served for many years on the Cambridge Springs Zoning Hearing Board and did volunteer income tax assistance at the Meadville Community Center for 14 years under AARP.

Joseph enjoyed family activities, wood working, gardening, traveling, and working on genealogy.

Survivors include his wife, the former Barbara Porter, whom he married July 13, 2003; a daughter – Karin Fischer and her husband, Del of Cambridge Springs; a granddaughter – Brita Rizzo and her husband, Mark; a great grandson -Carter Rizzo all of Ocoee, FL; a sister -Betsy Lundy of Long Meadow, MA; a son-in-law – James Flick and his wife, Cindy and their children – Blake and Haley; and a daughter-in-law -Carrie Erickson of Aurora, CO. He was preceded in death by his first wife – Brigitte U. Beard on May 25, 1999; two brothers -Dr. William J. Beard and Emerson M. Beard, Jr. and his wife, Margaret; a sister-in-law – Karin Howard; and a brother-in-law – Kenneth Howard.

Friends may call at the Van Matre Family Funeral Home in Cambridge Springs on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 and are invited to attend funeral services at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Drakes Mills on Friday morning at 11:00. Reverend Brian Riddle pastor the Church will officiate. Burial will be in Cambridge Cemetery.

The family suggests that memorials be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 25812 Mt. Pleasant Road, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403; American Cancer Society, Crawford Unit, 464 Pine St., Meadville, PA 16335-2975; American Heart Association, 823 Filmore, Erie, PA 16505; or the Cambridge Springs Public Library, 158 McClellan St., Cambridge Springs, PA 16403.